Secondly is that what I am about to post is old, however when has that ever stopped me?

Anyway, way back in 2015, a retailer in Singapore decided to drum up some sales by doing a Black Friday promotion.

Yes, I know Black Friday is a US thing, but retailers are so desperate to take every penny from us that they can, that they’d flog their family if it meant an extra $1 in the till.

So this Singaporean teenage fashion brand decided to do an online promotional campaign.

Given it’s Singapore, the land of tranquil harmony, you’d think it would be fairly innocent wouldn’t you.

Well see if you still feel that way when you see this.

Bad eh.

Oh hang on, are you just looking at the inappropriate pre-pubecent girl simulating an orgasm?

Noooooooo …

Sure, that’s utterly inappropriate but look to the left of that.

Yes, it really says RAPE ME.

WHAT THE FUCK?

A women’s fashion shop has used the statement ‘RAPE ME’.

This from a nation where thousands of people signed a petition to ban Adam Lambert from performing at the New Years Eve party because his homosexual lifestyle sets a bad example to family values.

Of course the brand apologised like a mad man … but I note they also decided to blame it all on a graphic designer, as if that justifies the utter contempt of doing something like this.

We all make mistakes.

We all can say something that someone else may interpret wrongly.

But I am pretty certain there is no situation in history where a fashion retailer could actually think saying RAPE ME is acceptable.

If this was still 2015, I’d think about nominating them for fuck up of the year, but let’s face it … they’d only win second because let’s not forget the Malaysian Airline ex-Marketing Director who discussed the brand benefits of 2 airlines crashing, killing hundreds of innocent lives.

Like this:

Related

I’m conflicted whether it’s criminal. On one side I know anyone can make a mistake but on the other, I fail to see how anyone could have not realised the deeply offensive nature of what is being said.

That said, it also shows what happens when a nation – ie: Singapore – tries to stop freedom of thought. Because when you are used to being told what to say/think/do, this is what happens when you express your ‘free will’.

Some creative wankers will have said, “You need to be brave and deliver shock value to cut through”. Inexcusable and just makes this stuff for Harvey Nics look even more intelligent than it already didhttps://iloveadverts.wordpress.com/2012/04/03/harvey-nichols-brutal-sale/
BMP at its finest – that schtick about pushing the end result as far it could go kind of shows that a formulaic approach approach to creative style really doesn’t need to be predictable (unlike TBWA chiat day with endless manifesto ads)
Anyway
By the way Rob, after your Bowie post I note you are not mourning Glen Frey

I love those Harvey Nic stuff … god it was good, but then, as you said, it was done by BMP.

As for Glen Frey, it’s always sad when someone dies and while he did many things, his influence was not – in my opinion – as progressive as Mr Bowie. Besides, I always preferred his music partner – Don Henley – because he wrote the magnificent ‘Boys of Summer’.

if we look at it critically, the fashion designer may be correct by saying RAPE ME. May be because most of the dresses when put on is just as bad as being naked. i think they did not “fucked up” but are decent dress activist 🙂